Vacuum operated hair clipper



April 25, 1961 J. A. STACHON 2,980,994

VACUUM OPERATED HAIR CLIPPER Filed Jan. 4, 1960 wwavroe Joya/w A.JmcHo/v Patented Apr. 25, 1961 VACUUM OPERATED HAIR CLEPPER Joseph A.Stachon, 2795 Redwood Road, Napa, Calif.

Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 101 9 Claims. c1. 30-133 The presentinvention relates to hair cutting implements and more particularly to anefficient and trouble free powered clipper of the class operated byattachment to a vacuum cleaner or other air pump.

The cutting or trimming of hair is preferably done with a power drivenclipper, such implements being both faster and more convenient incomparison with hand manipulated shears. One means of operating powerclippers is the suction generated by an air pump, such clippers havingadvantages over electrically driven instruments since the device isusually less costly and since the air suction offers a means of removingthe trimmings.

The air driven clipper is of particular value to the home user both byreason of the lower cost and the fact that most homes are provided witha ready made power unit in the form of a vacuum cleaner. The ability ofthe clippers to draw in the hair which has been 'cut is important inhome use since the householder is generally not provided with theaprons, neck bands and other facilities which are used in professionalestablishments to prevent the trimmings from falling and lodging on thecustomer. In addition it is preferable, in the home, that the hair notbe allowed to fall on the surrounding furnishing or on the floor ascommonly occurs in commercial hair cutting establishments.

Vacuum operated hair clippers as heretofore designed comprise a housingforming a single duct one end of which is connectable with the vacuumsource and the other end of which is provided with some form of cuttingmechanism. A turbine mechanism is mounted within the duct and is turnedby the air flow therethrough, the

turbine being connected to operate the cutting mechanism.

In the operation of such clippers considerable trouble has beenencountered in that the cut hair tends to interfere with the turbine.The trimmings may accumulate on the turbine blades and reduce theefiiciency thereof and, in extreme cases, may clog the turbine to thepoint where it ceases to operate. Further deleterious effects of thehair clippings are an increase in friction in the bearings which supportthe turbine and an acceleration of wearing therein. The loding ofcuttings within the mechanism tends, in addition, to create a somewhatunsanitary condition. Cumulatively these effects have detractedconsiderably from the general utility of this class of clipper.

The present invention provides a novel form of vacuum operated clipperin which the foregoing difficulties are overcome. Specifically theinvention provides a housing having two separate air intake pass-ageswhich converge and communicate with an outlet connectable to the vacuum.A cutting blade, preferably of the rotary type, is mounted at the end ofa first of the separate intakes and the motor, preferably a bladedturbine, is mounted within the second intake, suitable intermediatedrive means being provided so that the motor turns the cutting blade. Asa consequence of the divided air intake, the clippings are drawndirectlyto the outlet and into the vacuum source Without passing throughthe turbine. In addition to the separation of the route of the clippingsfrom the turbine area, the inflow of air through the turbine acts topositively prevent any of the clippings from reaching the area. Thus thedisadvantages hereinbefore discussed are completely overcome.

The foregoing principle, moreover, may be further applied to other areasof the clipper which are to be kept free from clippings. Any bearings,for example, which are exposed to the path of movement of the clippingsmay be provided with an additional small air intake so that the air flowthrough the bearing is in a direction towards the path of the clippings.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an air-drivenhair cutting implement free from deleterious effects resulting from theaccumulation of clippings therein.

It is an object of this invention to provide a power hair clipperoperable by connection with an air pump which clipper is free fromclogging and loss of efliciency arising from the lodging of trimmingstherein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a more durable andfriction free vacuum operated hair clipper.

It is an object of the invention to provide a power hair cuttingimplement operable by connection with a vacuum cleaner or other suctiongenerator which implement has provision for carrying cuttings away frominterior mechanisms which might be deleteriously effected thereby.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a vacuum cleaneror other suction generator which implement has provision for carryingcuttings away from interior mechanisms which might be deleten'ouslyeffected thereby.

it is still other object of this invention to provide a vacuum operatedhair clipper of the class having a suction driven turbine and a cuttingmechanism driven thereby wherein cuttings do not pass through saidturbine, the invention having further provision for preventing cuttingsfrom moving towards said turbine.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Figure l is a longitudinal section view of embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the hair clipper shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1 and showingdetails of a turbine element contained within the clipper.

Figure 4 is a section view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1 and furtherillustrating interior components of the clipper.

Figure 5 is a section view taken along line S5 of Figure 1 and showingdetails of the cutting mechanism within the clipper, and

Figure 6 is a section view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 1 and showingfurther details of the cutting mechamsm.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2thereof, there is shown a housing 11 having a first tubular section 12which opens into the central portion of a second tubular section 13. Thesecond section 13 is preferably inclined with respect to the firstsection 12 so that the forward end 14 of section 13 forms an obliqueangle with respect to section 12 and the rearward end 16 forms an acuteangle therewith. Ends 14 and 16 of section 13 are externally threaded toan exemplary receive additional elements of the clipper as willhereinafter be described.

The interior bore of the extremity of first section 12 is slightlyflared to receive the terminal cylinder 17 of a standard vacuum cleanerhose 18, the section thus providing an air flow outlet communicatingwith the cleaner. It should be understood that the clipper may, ifdesired, be adapted for operation by other forms of suction generatingair pumps and that the end of section 12 may be provided with otherforms of fitting to facilitate connection with such pumps.

The air flow through section 12 and into the vacuum cleaner is derivedfrom separate intakes at opposite ends '14 and 16 of section 13. Toprevent turbulence at the central portion of the housing Where the twooppositely.

directed intake flows come together, a cuspate baffle 19 is formed atthe central area of the interior forward wall of section 13. The baffle19 has oppositely curved upper and lower surfaces 21 and 22 whichconverge to form a broad point 23 directed at the center of section 12.Since the air volume to be drawn through the cutting mechanism isgenerally less than that to be drawn through the turbine, the surfaces21 and 22 may be so placed as to form a narrower air intake passage 24leading to the forward end of section 13 than the intake passage 25leading to the rearward end thereof.

A drive rod 26 is mounted on the axis of section 13, the rod beingtranspierced through a bore 27 in bafile 19 and a cylindrical bushing28, a small passage 29 extends from the center interior of the bushingthrough baffle 19 to the forward face of section 13. The foregoingpassage 29, in addition to providing for lubrication, acts to preventthe accumulation of hair within the bushing and thus to reduce frictionand wear therein. This results from the small air current which flows inthrough the passage 29 and outward towards each end of the bushing alongthe surface of rod 26, such current acting to prevent the'entry offoreign matter into the bushing and acting to remove any such matterthat may have become lodged there.

Considering now the air turbine structure at the rearward end 16 ofhousing section 13, an annular internally threaded sleeve 31 is engagedon the end of the section, the sleeve 31 being coaxial with respectthereto. A solid circular hub or center member 32 is positioned at theaxial center of the sleeve 31 and is supported by a number of vanes 33which are formed integral with and extend between the member and sleeve31 in radial directions with respect to the latter. The vanes 33 areeach inclined with respect to the axis of sleeve 3-1 in similardirections in order to deflect incoming air in a direction mostfavorable to turning a turbine therein.

The end of drive rod 26 is entered in a well 34 in the center member 32,a thrust bearing 36 being mounted in the well and engaging the end ofthe rod. The turbine proper is formed by a number of radially directedvanes 37 projecting from an annular collar 38 which collar is securedeoaxially on the drive rod 26 adjacent the stationary vanes 33. Theturbine vanes 37 are each inclined with respect to the axis of the rod26 in a direction opposite to the inclination of the stationary vanes 33so that the inflow of air in passage 25 acts to rotate the rod. Tofurther support the rod 26 a three armed spider 39 is secured withinpassage 25 a small distance forward from the turbine vane structure,such spider having a central aperture 41 through which the rod passes.To limit longitudinal motion of the rod 26, an enlarged portion 42 isformed on the rod between the spider and collar 38.

Considering now the cutting mechanism, with reference to Figures and 6in conjunction with Figure 1, a threaded cylindrical cap 43 is engagedon the forward end 14 of housing section 13, the cap having an endplate44 which is disposed over the end of passage 24 and forms a stationaryshear. As shown in Figure 5 4 in particular, endplate 44 is providedwith a number of radially directed narrow slots 46 which are confined tothe outer portion of the plate and which are proportioned to admit hairwithout allowing a fold of skin to enter a significant distance.

The moving cutting element is a rotary shear 47 disposed against theendplate 44, the shear having a dished circular central portion 48provided with a rectangular central opening 49. As shown in Figure 6 inparticular, the forward end of drive rod 26 is of rectangularcrosssection and is entered in the opening 49 so that rotation of thedrive rod acts to rotate the shear 47. A number of cutting blades 51, inthis instance three, project in a radial direction from the shear centerportion 48, the blades being spaced equi-angularly around the peripheryof the shear and each having an arcuate cutting edge 52 and an arcuatetrailing edge 53. The cutting edges 52 are proportioned to extend alongthe entire,

lengths of the slots 46 in endplate 44 so that movement of the blades 51across the slots clips any hair which is protruding therethrough.

in operation the clipper is coupled to a vacuum cleaner as hereinbeforedescribed. Upon actuation of the vacuum cleaner, air is drawn in throughboth passages 24 and 25, the air flow through the latter acting to turnthe turbine vanes 37 and thus to rotate drive rod 26 and the shear 47.The inflow of air through slots 46 in the end plate 44 will act to drawhair into the slots where the hair will be cut by the moving blades 51.The clippings are drawn through passage 24 directly to the outlethousing section 12 and thus bypass the turbine mechanism in passage 25.The entry of clippings into the turbine region is further prevented bythe inflow of air through passage 25 and thus the clipper remains freefrom clogging, loss of efficiency, wear, and the other deleteriouseffects hereinbefore discussed.

It will be noted that dismantling of the clipper is easily effected bydisengaging sleeve 31 from the upper end 16 of the housing section 13and withdrawing the turbine and drive rod therefrom. The tension on theshear 47 may be adjusted in the same manner, that is by rotation of thesleeve 31. As a further preferred feature, the turbine and drive rod 26should be made sufficiently heavy as to possess considerable inertia.The resultant flywheel eifect serves to insure continued operation atsuch times as when an unusual quantity of hair enters the slots 46 andproduces a high degree of resistance to the motion of the shear blades51.

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum operated hair clipping implement comprising, in combination,a housing forming a branched air duct having spaced apart separate inletpassages converging to an outlet passage, said housing having provisionfor connecting said outlet passage with a partial vacuum generatingdevice, a perforate stationary shear plate disposed across the end of afirst of said inlet passages, a bladed rotary shear mounted within saidfirst inlet passage against said stationary shear plate, a vaned turbineelement mounted in the second of said inlet passages for rotationtherein, and a drive rod linking said rotary shear with said turbineelement, said inlet passages having a common axis in oblique relation tothe axis of the outlet passage and in such manner that an obtuse angleis provided between the axis of the outlet passage and the axis of theinlet passage in which the shear is mounted, the portion of the housingin which said outlet passage is disposed being in the form of a handlefor the clipper.

2. In a vacuum operated hair clipper, the combination comprising ahousing having a first tubular section communicating at a first end withthe central portion of a second tubular section, the second end of saidfirst tubular section having provision for connection with an airsuction pump and the first and second ends of said econd tubular sectionforming separate air intakes, a

stationary perforated shear plate disposed across said first end of saidsecond tubular section, a rotary shear having at least one radiallyprojecting cutting blade disposed within said second tubular sectionagainst said stationary shear plate, a turbine element having aplurality of radially projecting inclined vanes, said turbine elementbeing coaxially mounted within said second end of said second tubularsection for rotation therein, and a drive rod extending along the axisof said second tubular section and coupling said turbine element withsaid rotary shear whereby said turbine drives said rotary shear.

3. A vacuum operated hair clipper substantially as described in claim 2and wherein said second tubular section of said housing is inclined withrespect to said first tubular section thereof to form an oblique anglebetween said first tubular section and said first end of said secondsection whereby the manipulation of said clipper is facilitated.

4. A vacuum operated hair clipper substantially as described in claim 2and comprising the further combination of an annular sleeve threadablyengaged on said second end of said second section of said housing andcarrying a center member bearing on the adjacent end of said drive rodwhereby the pressure at which said rod holds said rotary shear againstsaid stationary shear may be adjusted.

5. A vacuum driven hair clipping implement comprising, in combination, ahousing having a first tubular section communicating at a first end withthe central portion of a second tubular section which second section isinclined with respect to said first section and which second section hasa first and second end providing separated air intakes, said housinghaving provision at the second end of said first section for connectionwith a partial vacuum generating device, an air flow baffle disposedwithin said second section of said housing at said central portionthereof opposite said first end of said first section and having aprojecting portion extending towards said first end of said firstsection, said baffle being transpierced by a bore aligned with the axisof said second section of said housing, a multiply perforated stationaryshear plate disposed across said first end of said second section ofsaid housing, a rotary shear mounted in said second section against saidstationary shear and having at least one radially projecting cuttingblade, a vaned turbine element mounted within said second end of saidsection for rotation therein, and a drive rod disposed along said axisof said second section and connecting said turbine element to saidrotary shear for driving thereof, said drive rod extending through saidbore in said baffie.

6. A vacuum driven hair clipping implement substantially as described inclaim 5 and wherein a small air passage is formed in said second sectionof said housing which passage connects the exterior thereof with thecenter of said bore in said baflle whereby a small inflow of air occursthrough said passage and towards the ends of said bore therebypreventing foreign matter from lodging therein.

7. A vacuum operated hair clipper comprising, in combination, a firsttubular section having two ends each providing an independent inletpassage, a cutter assembly dis posed adjacent one of said ends, aturbine motor housed within the inlet passage of the other of said endsand operatively coupled to said cutter assembly, and a tubular outletsection communicating with said first section intermediate said twoends.

8. A vacuum operated hair clipper comprising, in com. bination, a firsttubular section having two end portions thereof each comprising an inletpassage, a rotary cutter assembly disposed at one of said inlet passagescoaxially therewith, a turbine motor housed within the other said inletpassage, a drive shaft extending along the axis of said section couplingsaid motor to said cutter assembly whereby said motor operates saidcutter, and a tubular outlet section extending angularly from said firstsection and communicating therewith intermediate said ends thereof.

9. A vacuum operated hair clipper comprising, in combination, a firsttubular section having two ends each providing a separate inlet passage,a cutting assembly disposed at one of said ends, a turbine motor housedwithin the inlet passage of the other of said ends and operativelycoupled to said cutting assembly, and a handle connected to saidsection, said handle having an outlet passage therein communicating withsaid section intermediate the ends thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS512,009 Chaney Ian. 2, 1894 1,549,839 Kuehne Aug. 18, 1925 2,807,086Watkins Sept. 24, 1957 2,914,849 Watkins Dec. 1, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS$49,704 Germany Apr. 30, 1932

